Amazon mistakenly alerted some AWS employees about upcoming layoffs a day before the company’s scheduled announcement, creating confusion and anxiety among staff. An internal email sent on Tuesday and signed by Colleen Aubrey, AWS senior vice president for applied AI solutions, appeared to indicate that affected employees in the U.S., Canada, and Costa Rica had already been notified.
Screenshots of the email circulated internally on Slack before the message and a related meeting invitation were quickly removed. In the email, Aubrey acknowledged the emotional impact of workforce reductions, writing that such decisions are difficult but necessary as Amazon positions AWS for future success.
The incident is tied to Amazon’s broader plan, announced in October 2025 to cut approximately 30,000 corporate jobs as part of a company wide restructuring.The first phase eliminated around 14,000 roles. Layoffs are expected to impact multiple divisions, including AWS retail Prime Video and human resources.
Amazon has cited increased efficiency through AI adoption and a push to reduce bureaucracy as key reasons for the cuts. While the company still employs more than1.5 million people globally, the premature email leak left many employees awaiting official confirmation of their job status.
Amazon has not publicly commented on the incident. Industry analysts say the episode highlights the challenges of managing large-scale organizational changes while balancing innovation and employee trust.
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